Can this pond be salvaged?

[KiwiNikki]

Hi,

After 9 years living in London, I moved to Kent two months ago and now have a large backyard, vegetable garden and orchard to call my own! It's all a bit of a mess as the previous owner doesn't seem to have done any gardening since 2010: picture grass up to my waist in the orchard, bramble over my head in the vegetable garden and a pond that, well, isn't really a pond.

I've never had a pond before so was looking forward to it, particularly as we were told all about the three pheasants that came in every day to drink. Ha!

If I've managed to attach my photo correct, you'll see the pond is full of some kind of plant, sludge and not much water. I'd like to know if I can salvage it and how I should go about it. I'm thinking I need to pull everything out but there are frogs living there which I don't want to upset.


Thanks,
Nikki

[Dusty Rhodes]

Dig it out. Just be careful not to disturb the bottom lining. The frogs will hop off and come back when you're done.

[rustylady]

Start off by pulling out some of the plants. If you leave them piled by the side of the pond any critturs will find their way back into the water. Frogs are not a problem - they don't live in the water.

[Glutton4...]

Yup! Wot ^^ they ^^ said!

Good luck, and remember, we're nosey s*ds, so we'll need more pictures!

[lottie dolly]

good advise you got ,the only thing i would add is,perhaps better to do it before the winter,then the wild life ext will settle down,and be all ready for the spring time,and of cause,more pictures would be good,if you take pics before you start any work in the garden,you will have something to look back on and see what you have acheived

[taff]

have a quick google for the most common aquatic plants too, so if you have any in there, you can recognise them, and not throw them away by accident, I'm thinking lillies, grasses etc.

[Two_Sheds]

there are frogs living there which I don't want to upset.

Don't worry about them, frogs don't live in the water ~ they go in to breed, and to hibernate (although some will hibernate in long grass, so make sure there's untidy areas provided for them).

Your pond doesn't have much water ~ might it be leaking? Have a good clean out and repair any punctures

[KiwiNikki]

Wow, you guys are fantastic! Thanks for all the advice!

I've done some more digging around the edge of the pond and found it's much bigger than I thought it was. Pix attached of what it looked like on the day we moved in (you'll notice you can't actually see a pond, just plants) and what it looks like tonight with the extra bit I found.


This extra bit was full of soil and stones. I'm not sure it the soil was meant to be there or if it's just worked it's way in over years of neglect. Either way, I needed to clear it out so I can see what state the lining is in. I have ordered a pump so I can finish clearing the rest of it. Should be here tomorrow and I have three days off work so aiming to get it done this week.

Thanks again!
Nikki

[veggiechicken]

Could the "extra bit" full of soil and stones be deliberate, so that creatures can get in and out of the pond more easily?

[rustylady]

Could the "extra bit" full of soil and stones be deliberate, so that creatures can get in and out of the pond more easily?

Probably, and also for planting stuff that likes damp soil.

[KiwiNikki]

Veggiechicken - could be as it is close to where I think the frogs are living. I'm happy to fill it back up with stones as I want to put a pump in to keep the water moving as the neighbours have both complained about mozzies. Then the water can trickle back down the stones. At least that's the theory.

[rustylady]

How big is the pond Nikki? It doesn't look very big from your pictures.

[KiwiNikki]

Probably, and also for planting stuff that likes damp soil.

That would make sense if it was damp. It was bone dry. Could just be like that because it hasn't been looked after though or a hole in the lining. The message I'm getting here is that the soil and stones go back in once the pond has been repaired for critters and plants. Message received. Thanks!

[KiwiNikki]

How big is the pond Nikki? It doesn't look very big from your pictures.

The husband says it's "about three meters long and a couple of meters wide". It's a lot of work for something so small!

[rustylady]

Bigger than I thought. I would have guessed at 2m x 1m. Any idea how deep?

I'm afraid I think you will have to clear the whole thing out (carefully by hand). Any plants you want to keep stand in a bucket of water for the time being.

Goldfish would solve the mozzie problem, but obviously you can't put any in till you've cleared the pond.